AS the dust settles on another poor start to a World Cup qualifying campaign for Wales, Delme Parfitt pinpoints 10 issues to provide food for thought

1. We’re as close to a one-man team as you can get in international football.

AGAINST Belgium Gareth Bale caused what few problems Wales were able to muster, especially after being reduced to 10 men following James Collins’ sending off.

Against Serbia he scored a brilliant free-kick and caused what few problems Wales were able to muster. Against Scotland, Wales won because of Bale, and for no other reason. Against Croatia Gareth Bale caused what few problems Wales were able to muster. Memo to Chris Coleman re-suggested tactics for remaining World Cup qualifiers: Instruct players to pass the ball to Bale, and instruct Bale to then not pass it back to any of them.

2. Even the great Gareth cannot do it on his own

THERE was, of course, a hint of facetiousness about the previous point.

As magnificent as Gareth Bale is, he cannot consistently beat teams on his own. His power-running at pace, fierce shooting ability and skill take the breath away at times, but one threat alone, no matter how potent it is, will never be enough. It can, if things go in your favour, get you a result against lesser sides, Scotland being the prime example. But when it comes to the leading lights, and sustaining a challenge over the course of an entire campaign, you must have others able to ask questions.

3. Craig Bellamy is still needed

His international future seems up in the air at the moment but if a game proved we still need Craig Bellamy it was Tuesday night’s defeat to Croatia.

Wales’ sole policy at times seemed to be to lump the ball upfield and hope Bale got on the end of it, but Bellamy would have given the home defenders something else to worry about. In doing so, maybe Croatia would not have been able to throw their entire defensive eggs into the Bale basket by double or triple marking him the whole time. The more space Bale gets, the better he will be. Bellamy is not Bale, but he still has blistering pace and can produce match-winning magic.

4. Coleman must show more tactical acumen

IT’S unclear as yet what, tactically, Coleman is trying to do.

There’s a distinct lack of method apparent and cliches like “earning the right to play” don’t exactly fill you with confidence. He needs to sort out the holding midfield role, find someone with the destructive tendencies needed to shore things up and protect the back four. I’d also ditch Steve Morison and give Craig Davies a run at centre-forward.

I know he cost Liverpool £15million, but credit Swansea City for getting that staggering sum of money for their little midfield man.

I’m not sure that any manager other than Brendan Rodgers would have paid that type of transfer fee for Allen. Perhaps we need to keep that in context when it comes to expectations from Allen in a Wales shirt. Listen, he’s a damn good player, but he’s neat and tidy rather than special or spectacular. He’s great at taking a pass, checking out on to his other foot and spreading the play in the opposite direction, but at international level that’s bread and butter stuff. £15m? The Swans must have been doing cartwheels.

6. Aaron Ramsey still capable of being our midfield maestro

IF Allen is, in my view, overrated by some, Ramsey, for me, certainly doesn’t fall into that category.

For whatever reason, he hasn’t produced the form under Coleman that he did in match-winning displays at times during the John Toshack and Gary Speed reigns. The Arsenal man went out and grabbed matches by the scruff of the neck, totally dictating from the middle of the park. He has gone off the boil and was poor by his standards against the Scots, but he’s still our midfield kingpin, Ramsey will be back.

7. Joe Ledley is better than what we’re seeing

The former Bluebird looked painfully one-paced against Croatia, and in the two games this month has made next to no impact with the ball.

Is it because he’s not 100% fit? Is it something to do with the system employed by Coleman? Has he just had a couple of bad off-days? Or has Ledley gone backwards while playing in the Scottish Premier League with Celtic? Whatever, he’s better than the player we are seeing in a Wales jersey at present and he needs to start proving it.

8. Has Darcy Blake been punching above his weight?

THE ex-Cardiff City man rightly won plaudits for keeping Wayne Rooney quiet at Wembley last year and had a terrific run in the team under Speed.

But he’s slipped below those standards under Coleman. Like the rest of the team he was poor against Serbia and he struggled with the movement and pace of the Croatian front-runners on Tuesday night. Can Darcy get back to previous excellent standards?

9. Ashley Williams should not be singled out for stick

IT’S easy for Cardiff City fans to have a pop at the Swansea skipper for the back-pass which got stuck in the mud that led to the first Croatian goal.

Yes, it was an unwise thing to do given the boggy nature of the pitch. But the Swansea man is still Wales’ best defender and as captain we should be backing him.